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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pound — a weight
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. race — humankind
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bulb — for light
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. spring — of water
  16. dip — to sink
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — the arms race
  24. spring — a coil

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com